Kobbie Mainoo has opened up about a difficult period in his career when he was forced to consider all options, including the possibility of leaving Manchester United during the turbulent tenure of Ruben Amorim. The England international, who had previously been on the verge of becoming a key player at his boyhood club under Erik ten Hag, found himself sidelined after Amorim took charge.
Mainoo’s journey with Manchester United took a dramatic turn following Amorim’s appointment as Ten Hag’s successor. The young midfielder was essentially frozen out of the team, leading many to believe that his departure from Old Trafford was imminent. At one point, Napoli emerged as serious contenders for his signature, while Chelsea were heavily linked with a £70 million move for the 21-year-old.
However, things have taken a positive turn for Mainoo since Michael Carrick took over as manager. He has become a consistent presence in the squad, helping the team qualify for the Champions League with ease. A new contract was signed last month, and the prospect of a return to the England national team ahead of the World Cup now seems more realistic than ever.
This is a far cry from the challenging period during the latter stages of the January transfer window, when Mainoo was seriously considering walking away from the club he had supported since childhood.
When asked if he had ever thought about leaving Old Trafford, Mainoo was somewhat vague but admitted that he had “considered all things.”
“But at the forefront of my mind was always to play for Manchester United and continue to play for this club that I’ve grown up at,” he added.
“Going from playing nearly every game to not playing as often, it’s always going to be difficult and an adjustment.”
“But I guess it’s part of the game and that was good for me in terms of learning myself, learning the game, what it is, patience.
“It’s difficult anytime you’re not playing because I love football and I love to play. So, I feel like I learned things off the pitch in terms of how to schedule my life and how I train and how I work, getting into routines and stuff.
“And being able to learn from experienced players in the team, and also patience and just working hard.”
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